15 Lesser-Known Facts About Coco Chanel

From tweed jackets to the iconic little black dress and pioneering menswear-inspired women's fashion, Coco Chanel revolutionized the industry. Beyond her gold-chained bags, legendary perfume, and sharp wit lies an inspiring rags-to-riches tale. Discover 15 fascinating details about the iconic French designer Coco Chanel.

1. Coco Chanel acquired her sewing skills in an orphanage.

Gabrielle Chanel, born on August 19, 1883, had modest origins. After her mother's passing around her 12th birthday, her father, a peddler, placed her and her sisters in an orphanage run by nuns. There, she learned sewing, and the simple black-and-white attire of the nuns influenced her future design style.

2. The name Coco likely originated from her short-lived singing career.

At 18, after leaving the orphanage, Chanel worked in a tailor’s shop by day and later performed at French caf'concs, early cabaret-style shows in working-class bars. Alongside her aunt Adrienne, who was barely older than her, she used these performances to earn extra income and charm military officers stationed in Moulins, France. Legend has it that Chanel often sang songs like "Ko Ko Ri Ko" and "Qui qu'a vu Coco dans l'Trocadéro?" ("Who's seen Coco at the Trocadéro?"), prompting the audience to chant "Coco! Coco!" for encores. While Coco can mean a term of endearment or refer to a cocotte (a kept woman), Chanel claimed her father used it as a nickname for her.

3. Chanel held a license as a milliner.

Following her short-lived singing career, Chanel became a certified milliner and launched a hat shop named Chanel Modes in 1910 at 21 Rue Cambon, Paris. The shop was financed by Etienne Balsan, a wealthy textile heir she met during his military service in Moulins. As noted in Lisa Chaney’s biography Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life, Balsan offered her the role of his mistress, which she accepted without hesitation.

Chanel’s hat shop gained a significant boost when Gabrielle Dorziat, a renowned French actress, became an admirer of her designs, sparking a fashion trend. Later in life, Chanel’s hat became a defining part of her persona. Photographer Douglas Kirkland, who spent three weeks capturing her life in 1962, noted that she never took it off.

4. The iconic Chanel logo was her own creation.

The timeless interlocking "Cs" logo, still featured on handbags, jewelry, and more, was designed by Chanel herself and debuted around 1924 on Chanel No. 5 perfume bottles. Its design remains unchanged. While its inspiration is debated, some suggest it was influenced by Catherine de Medici’s royal insignia, which Chanel might have seen at a royal estate. Others link it to Château de Crémat in Nice, where she reportedly attended parties. The double Cs perfectly complemented her name and brand identity.

Another theory suggests the logo was a tribute to Arthur "Boy" Capel, an English aristocrat, polo player, and Chanel’s great love. Capel tragically died in a car accident just before Christmas in 1919, leaving Chanel heartbroken. Some believe the interlocking Cs stood for Capel & Chanel, symbolizing her way of honoring his memory and enduring influence.

5. Chanel No. 5, her legendary fragrance, might have been born from a lab error.

The creation of Chanel No. 5 is a tale of intrigue. In the 1920s, Chanel collaborated with perfumer Ernest Beaux to develop the scent. She reportedly favored his fifth sample, inspiring the name (five was also her lucky number). However, the perfume’s unique blend of jasmine, rose, sandalwood, and vanilla may have resulted from a lab mishap, as it contained an unusually high concentration of aldehydes, giving it a sparkling quality. The fragrance, paired with its revolutionary minimalist bottle, became one of the most iconic and best-selling perfumes globally.

6. Chanel initiated a legal battle over her perfume that lasted for decades.

In a 1924 agreement to distribute Chanel No. 5 in department stores, Chanel retained her name on the bottle but received only 10% of the profits. Pierre Wertheimer, who handled mass production, took 70%, while Théophile Bader, founder of Galeries Lafayette, received 20% for facilitating the deal. Chanel spent years fighting in court to improve her share, leading the Wertheimer business to employ a lawyer solely dedicated to handling her disputes.

7. Chanel was rumored to have collaborated with the Nazis.

After Chanel’s death in 1971, declassified documents shed light on her involvement with the Nazis during WWII. Her long-term relationship with Hans Günther Von Dincklage, a German intelligence officer, was public knowledge (she resided at the Ritz during much of the Nazi occupation of Paris). However, journalist Hal Vaughan’s 2011 book Sleeping With the Enemy revealed that Chanel was deeply involved with the Nazi regime, even operating under the codename "Westminster" as Abwehr Agent F-7124. As The Washington Post noted, "Chanel was not among the courageous women who resisted the Nazis."

After the war, Chanel moved to Switzerland before returning to Paris in 1954 to revive her fashion house. The Chanel company has disputed Vaughan’s claims, emphasizing her close relationships with Jewish friends before and after the war and suggesting her actions during the occupation were more complex.

8. Chanel allegedly sought Nazi assistance in her legal battle over Chanel No. 5.

During WWII, Chanel exploited her Nazi ties and attempted to use Aryan laws to oust Pierre Wertheimer and his brother, who were Jewish, from her business. However, the Wertheimers managed to retain their stake by transferring ownership to an Aryan businessman during the war, reclaiming full control afterward. Remarkably, they later funded Chanel’s fashion comeback in the 1950s. The Wertheimer family, known for their secrecy, still owns the Chanel brand, now valued at approximately $8 billion.

9. Winston Churchill was among Chanel’s acquaintances.

Chanel cultivated influential friendships, including with politicians. She met Winston Churchill in the 1920s through her lover, the Duke of Westminster, one of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful men. Churchill, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, was a frequent guest at the duke’s estate. In a letter, Churchill described Chanel as "capable and agreeable," noting her tireless energy: she hunted all day, traveled to Paris at night, and meticulously designed dresses, often altering them multiple times. Years later, during WWII, the Nazis attempted to exploit this friendship to forge an alliance with England.

10. Despite numerous romantic relationships, Chanel never married.

Chanel’s romantic escapades were nearly as legendary as her fashion. Her numerous relationships included brief flings with Pablo Picasso (whose controlling nature clashed with her strong personality, as noted in Lisa Chaney’s biography Coco Chanel, An Intimate Life), the Duke of Westminster, a Russian Tsar’s grandson, and composer Igor Stravinsky. When Stravinsky reworked The Rite of Spring for a Paris ballet in 1920, Chanel was a key supporter.

11. The Chanel bag revolutionized women’s fashion by popularizing shoulder bags.

In the 1950s, high-status women typically carried purses in their hands. However, Chanel transformed this norm in 1955 with the launch of the 2.55 Chanel Shoulder Bag, named after its February 1955 debut. The elegant design featured quilted leather and a gold chain strap, making it fashionable for women to wear bags on their shoulders.

12. Chanel revolutionized fashion by making jersey fabric stylish.

In the early 20th century, women’s fashion was dominated by restrictive corsets. Chanel transformed this by introducing jersey—a fabric previously used for men’s underwear. Its affordability and elegant drape made it ideal for her simple, comfortable dress designs.

13. Chanel is also celebrated for popularizing the little black dress.

The little black dress, a timeless fashion staple, was popularized by Chanel. In 1926, Vogue dubbed it "the frock that all the world will wear," likening its universal appeal to the Ford Model T. While now a wardrobe essential, the LBD was groundbreaking at the time, as black was traditionally associated with mourning.

14. Chanel also made suntans a symbol of style.

From the LBD to striped shirts, perfume, and menswear-inspired fashion, Chanel’s influence sparked countless trends—including the popularity of suntans. In the early 1920s, when sun-kissed skin was still seen as unfashionable, Chanel accidentally became a trendsetter after returning from a Mediterranean cruise with the Duke of Westminster with a deep tan. Photos of her arrival in Cannes are often credited with popularizing the sun-kissed look, which she later commercialized by launching one of the first tanning lotion lines for women.

15. Katharine Hepburn portrayed Chanel in a Broadway musical.

Coco

The 1969 musical Coco, inspired by Chanel’s life, featured a script and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, famed for My Fair Lady. While Katharine Hepburn was a seasoned stage actress, her singing voice was untested, making this her sole musical performance. The show ran for 329 performances on Broadway, and its 1970 Tony Awards performance, nominated for seven awards and winning two, remains accessible online. Though the musical didn’t achieve lasting fame, the idea of Hepburn—a trailblazer for modern women—portraying Chanel feels fittingly je ne sais quoi.